Registration is now open for LOWISA 46! You can register online. We’re offering a Mount Gay Rum hat to all skippers who register online in advance. Once again due to the generous support of our sponsors we have been able to keep the registration low this year at $185 for Racing and $125 for Cruising. The registration fee includes two tickets to the Commodore’s Banquet, additional tickets are available at registration along with LOWISA Clothing and charts for purchase.
Saturday July 30th, on-site registration, race instructions and charts will be available at the Northern Harbour Boaters’ Club in Northern Harbour. Help with lifts in and out, will be provided by Gary Hall and his family at Northern Harbour. Be sure to buy your Morgan Fuels gas and diesel fuel and Arctic Glacier ice from Gary. Once again we will be offering a seminar which will provide local knowledge on navigating Lake of the Woods along with tips for having a successful week on the lake. The seminar will be held in the Northern Harbour Boaters’ Club on Saturday afternoon at 3:00pm. Those who are new to the lake will find it interesting and valuable. The Skippers’ meeting, Sailors Social, and dinner will follow starting at 6:00pm.
Day 1, Racing gets started on Sunday, July 31st, at 12:00 noon in Safety Bay, so the crowd at the Kenora Harbourfront can enjoy the excitement of the starts. We’re planning a course allowing for a couple of east-west laps on Safety Bay with a finish in the Vicinity of Keewatin Channel. This will be an interesting race with lots of tune-up opportunity. If the weather cooperates we’re hoping for around 15 miles of windward-leeward racing. Expect lots of cottage owners and Kenora residents out to watch the fleet duke it out on the water. The cruising fleet can take advantage of ever popular Scotty Beach and join up with the racers for the evening. The anchorage for Day 1 will be Strawberry Island.
Day 2, Monday, August 1st, start at the north end of Scotty’s Island and proceed through the Elbow to the unnamed bay south of Yellow Girl Point. In honour of their continuing support, we’ve designated this scenic spot as “Mount Gay Bay.” This is an excellent area for camping and there’s a terrific little island that’s great place for our first event of the week: the Mount Gay, Pepsi, and Arctic Glacier Wilderness Party. Pirate costumes are optional (be all you can be as Captain Sparrow – Savvy?), but at the very least be sure to wear your Mount Gay Rum hat and your best smiles for the photo ops.
Day 3, Tuesday, August 2nd, start at Yellow Girl Point and proceed through Sunset Channel to end the day at the west end of Deadbroke Channel. Sunset Channel represents much of what is the best of Lake of the Woods and promises to be one of the most scenic days of the week. For Cruisers, there is an opportunity to enjoy some early aboriginal rock paintings along the way and, if you are extraordinarily lucky, a petroglyph.
Day 4, Wednesday, August 3rd, start at the west end of Deadbroke Channel and proceed to Ash Rapid Camp. Cruisers may want to stop for a lunch break on the sandbar at S Island. Ash Rapids Camp is a full service wilderness lodge and well known for their hospitality. They offer great food, a rustic bar and sell fuel and ice. Nicely furnished cabins are available. See the LOWISA Website for their Internet link and to make reservations.
Day 5, Thursday, August 4th is a day of rest. After 4 days of racing and cruising most of us need a day to sleep late, fix gear, and socialize with other sailors. But for those with the urge to race, we’ll have an optional and stand-alone windward leeward series of races. The skippers meeting will be held at 10:00 AM at which time, we’ll describe the location and the round-the-cans race course choices for the layover day races. We have lots of kids activities planned on shore this day. Ptarmigan Bay is close by and is a great place for a leisurely day-cruise for those who want to get away. Dinner in the dining room is provided as part of your registration so be sure you have a ticket for each of your crew members. The Arctic Glacier Frozen T-Shirt Contest will be a part of the evening’s social events. The Commodore will hand pick the contestants and for those whom he picks, declining is not an option - there’s nowhere to hide!! Pump out and garbage disposal will be available during the layover day.
Day 6, Friday, August 5th, start near Ash Rapids Camp and race to 22 Foot Bay. We’ve used this anchorage many times in past regattas; it’s another great spot for wilderness anchoring and camping. If you wish, cabins are available at Crow Rock Lodge, which is just around the corner from where our anchorage. See the LOWISA Website for their Internet link and to make reservations. Crow Rock Lodge offers a full service bar and dinning. We’ll have the gas powered blender on shore for Margaritas after racing. Bring a bottle or two of Tequila; we’ll provide the mix. Throw it all in the blender and see what happens… no big Woop – or maybe a big Woop!!
Day 7, Saturday, August 6th marks our last day of racing. We’ll start near the Crow Rock Light and head back to Northern Harbor via the famed Manitou Reach. The LOWISA Commodore’s Banquet and the Awards Presentation will be hosted in the Northern Boaters’ Club, on this final day. Back by popular demand are Brent Parkin and the Schooners. This is truly a great band that’ll make you want to dance your socks off, so our closing festivities will carry on well into the evening.
There will be Children’s activities throughout the week with an emphasis on having the kids gather on the islands following the races for fantastic games activities and surprises galore!!!!
